Cyclists have been using the footpath to ride between two sections of a cycleway along George Street, which was installed by the council two years ago and links Redfern, Zetland and Waterloo with Central.

But the pathway and the housing estate, known as Waterloo Green, are owned by the Department of Family and Community Services – and it has now installed signs instructing cyclists not to ride through the area.

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Cyclists fail to dismount on the walkway.Credit:Nick Moir

The signs mean riders now have to wheel their bike between the two parts of the cycleway, or they must go on the road and travel around the block to get back on it.

But when the Herald visited the site last week, several cyclists said they were perplexed as a council sign, just metres away from the government's sign, appears to direct them through the park as part of the cycleway.

Cyclists continue to ride on the path, and it is understood the government plans to install chicanes and fencing to stop them.

A Department of Family and Community Services spokesman said the pathway was built for walking and wheelchair access, and it never gave consent for it to be used by commuter cyclists.

A cyclist on the Waterloo Green footpath. Credit:Nick Moir

The housing estate's tenant advisory board has pushed for the ban on riders, saying there have been frequent near misses and there are concerns for the safety of elderly tenants in the units.

"We have daily complaints," said Waterloo Neighbourhood Advisory Board spokesman Ross Smith. "There's tremendous collision potential. There have been quite a lot of hits, fortunately no one has been badly hurt but for an elderly person a broken bone can be a death sentence."

But the City of Sydney has a different story. The council says neither it nor the police are aware of any incidents involving cyclists at Waterloo Green for the past year.

A council spokeswoman said the city had suggested improvements to make the path safer for people walking and riding, but these were rejected by the government and residents.

While the council built and maintains the cycleway, the government's Sydney's Cycling Future plan pinpoints George Street in Redfern as a strategic bicycle corridor and is funding the construction of other cycleways that link in with the route.

BIKESydney​ president David Borella said there had been no consultation with cyclists about the installation of the signs.

"This is another instalment of the government pushing riders back onto the road system, where a perfectly good off-road option is available."